


Birthday Presents

by Opalgirl



Category: Tortall - Pierce
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-12
Updated: 2010-04-12
Packaged: 2017-10-08 21:40:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Opalgirl/pseuds/Opalgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At Princess Lianokami's birthday party, Buri learns something new about Kel. Written for Goldenlake's Tortall Fanfiction SMACKDOWN.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthday Presents

**Author's Note:**

> Lianokami is Roald and Shinkokami's quasi-canon daughter, according to Tamora Pierce. And, yes, Duke G is her great-great uncle. Count the generations: he's Lianne's brother -&gt; Jon's uncle -&gt; Roald, Kally, et al's great-uncle -&gt; Lianokami's great-great-uncle.

Buri privately thought that the decorations, music, food, and the other such fuss trotted out for Princess Lianokami’s birthday were excessive. Had someone forgotten that the princess was _five_? The guest of honor was swathed in an abomination of lace, ruffles, and silk, her tiny royal feet clad in delicate satin slippers, as she sat upon her great-great uncle’s knee, giggling and whispering her little secrets.

The princess’s adoring parents and grandparents looked on, as they mingled with their grown-up guests, and Buri rolled her eyes. It was ridiculous, all of this – the princess, she knew, would have been pleased with a much smaller party and less fuss.

Buri turned to her husband, only to find that he’d left, and that Lady Knight Keladry had taken his seat. “Hello, lady knight,” she greeted the younger woman, noting the tiredness in her eyes.

“Kel, please, my lady.”

“If you’re Kel, I’m Buri,” she said, tartly. “I hadn’t expected to see you here – Raoul said you had gone home.”

Kel shook her head. “My parents are in Corus for business,” she explained, “and I’m staying with them in the city.”

“I see.” Buri blinked, seeing Lianokami wriggle through the crowd of her grown-up guests, approaching their table.

The princess’s small hand tugged at the lady knight’s skirts, and Kel leaned down low in her seat to speak to the child.

“Hello, Your Highness,” Kel said, smiling.

“Thank you for the doll, Lady Kel,” said the little girl shyly, the words plainly rehearsed.

“You’re very welcome, Your Highness. Happy birthday.”

When Lianokami had gone, headed off towards her grandfather (who she had wrapped about her little finger), Buri turned to her companion. “You sent her a birthday gift, and you’ve been on border duty the last six months. How did you remember?”

Kel only shrugged. “I bought her gift in Pearlmouth, while I was on leave,” she replied, and Buri frowned.

“It wasn’t a formal gift.”

“No.” Kel leaned backwards and straightened her skirts out. 

Buri shook her head. The lady knight had a soft spot for children, it would seem. That wasn’t something she’d have thought.


End file.
